Metal separator



Aug. 17 1926.

J. B. EVANS METAL SEPARATOR Filed Dec, 13, 1924 u 2 Sheeflts-Sheet 1 J. B. EVANS METAL SEPARATOR Filed Dec 15 1924 2 Sheets Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BUREN EVANS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

METAL SEPARATOR.

. It is within the province ofthe disclosure,

to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that sort to which the invention appertains, and other and further objects will be brought out as the description progresses.

Although a preferred form has been shown in the drawings, it will be understood that a mechanic, working within the scope of what is claimed, may make such changes as his skill may suggest, without departin from the spirit of theinvention. I

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows, in side elevation, a device constructed'in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmental longitudinal section of the chute, the view showing the riifles and parts Which cooperate therewith; Figure 3 is. a rear elevation wherein parts are broken away; Figure 4 is a trans verse section taken through the chute, parts being broken away; Figure 5 is a fragment al elevation showing a portion of the means whereby the chute is supported and mounted; Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a sectional cletail illustrating one of the adjustable bearings; Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8.

of Figure 7.

In carrylng out theinventiomthere is provided a frame 1 whlch may be variously constructedwithout jeopardizing the utility of the invention. The framel comprises standards 2 and 3 at each side of the machine, the standards being connected by a lower cross piece 4 and an upper cross plece 5. Slides 6 are mounted between the standards 2 and 3 for right line vertical adjustment, and are disposed at the upper ends of the standards, the slides 6 carrying bearings 7. As shown in Figure 7 the slides 6 are equipped in their lower edges with seats 29 wherein anti-friction members, suchas balls 30, are mounted, the balls being engaged by adjustin devices, such as screws 31 thread ed into tile cross pieces 5, the lower ends of Application filed December 13, 1924. Serial No. 755,781.

the screws being slidably received in the cross pieces 4, the screws being equipped with turning heads'32 accessible between the cross pieces 4 and 5.

In the bearings 7, a shaft 8 is journaled,

the shaft 8 carrying members 9 provided with peripheral projections '10. A shaft 11 is disposed at a much lower levelthan the shaft 8 and is journaled for rotation in bearings 12, located on the frame 1 near to the forward end thereof. The shaft 11 carries members 14, constructed like the members 9 on the shaft 8, and having projectlon's 15. I

A sprocket wheel 16 is secured to the shaft 11, a sprocket wheel 17 being mounted on the shaft 8. .About the sprocket wheels16 and 17 is engaged a chain 18. The shaft 8 is supplied with a pulley 19 about which passes a belt 20 engaged with a pulley 21 'on a shaft 22 supported at 23 for rotation on the frame 1, the shaft 22 carrying a pulley 24 wherewithis engaged a driving belt 25.

Brackets 26 are mounted on the standards 3, each bracket carryinga substantially horizontal cushion 27. The brackets 26 are lo .cated near to the members 9, similar bracke'ts 28 being mounted on the frame 1 slightly to the rear of the members 14 on the shaft 11..

The device comprises a downwardly and forwardly inclined chute 33 embodying abottom 34, sides 35 and an upper end wall 36, the chute being open at its lower end. The chute carries upper supports 37, in the form of blocks, the said supports cooperating with the members 9 on the. shaft 8. The chute is supplied with lower supports 38, in the form of blocks, coacting with the members 14 on the shaft 11.

At this point, it may be profitable to observe that, as indicated in Figure 3, the members 14 and 9 at one side of the chute 33 are so set with respect to the corresponding members at the other side of the chute, that, when the members 14 and 9 are rotated, the chute 33 will be rocked or oscillated transversely of an axis extended lengthwise of the chute. The members14 and 9 may be alluded to as eccentrics co.- operatingwith opposite side portions on the chute 33, the eccentrics at one side of the chute being so set with respect to the eccentrics at .the other side of the chute that when all of .theeccentrics areoperated-simultaneously, the chute will be rocked in a direction transverse to the path traversed by the til , the chute material as the material moves along the chute. The supports 37 are received between the upper portions of the brackets 26, and the lower supports 38 are similarly located with respect to the lower brackets 28. In view of the foregoing, the chute is prevented from. having too much lateral side play. In order to prevent the chute 33 from moving downwardly, in the direction of its length, when the chute is in motion, it may be desirable to provide the .upper supports 37 with outwardly projectsupported on cleats 44 carried by the sides 35 of the chute. Shafts 46 are journaled for rotation in the sides 35 of the chute 33 and are equipped with agitators 47 operating within the curved riflies 41.

There are beveled gears 48 onthe shafts 46, the beveled gears 48 meshing with beveled pinions 49 on a shaft 50 extended longitudinally of the chute 33 and journaled in bearings 51 carried by one side of the chute. At its upper end, the shaft 50 is supplied with a beveled pinion 52 meshing with a beveled gear 65 on a tranverse shaft 53 journaled in bearings 54 mounted on the upper end wall 36 of the chute 33. The shaft 53 carries a pulley 55 cooperating with a belt 56 engaging a pulley 57 on the shaft 22. In order to take the slack out of the belt 56, a belt tightener is provided, and this belt tightener may be of any desired form. As shown, the belt tightener embodies a shaft 58 journaled in bearings 59 on the frame 1, the shaft having a crank 60 whereon a heavy roller 61 is journaled, the roller cooperating with one run of the belt 56, as clearly shown in Figure 1. In order that the shaft 58 may be under the control of an operator, the shaft is provided at one 'end with a. handle 62.

In'practical operation, the material from which the metal is to be removed is cast into the hopper 40, from whence the material moves downwardly through the Chute 33. The material moves downwardly and forwardly, traversing the screens 43, the heavy metal, and some of the lighter material, of courseyfalling to the bottom 34 of The material, both heavy and light. is caught bythe riffles 41 and, as the agitators 47 are rotated, the material is stirred up, the heavier portions remainremoval of the metal from the riftles 41.-

lVhilst the material is moving downwardly along the chute 33, the chute is being rocked transversely of its length, owing to the way in which the members 9 and14, on the shafts 8 and 11, respectively, cooperate with the supports 37 and 38 on the chute. V

The drives are as follows. The belt '25 and the pulley 24 rotate the shaft 22. From the shaft 22. motionis transmitted to the shaft 8, by the pulley 21, the belt 20 and the pulley 19. The shaft Sloperates the eccentric members 9. From the shaft 8, rotation is imparted to the. shaft 11 and the eccentric members 14, by means of the sprocket wheel 17, the sprocket chain 18 and the sprocket wheel 16.

' Rotation is impartedto the agitatorsv 47 by a train of elements embodyingthe belt 25, the pulley 24, the shaft 22, the pulley 57,

the belt 56, the pulley 55', the shaft. 53, the.

beveled gear 65, the beveled pinion 52, the shaft 50, the beveled pinions 49, and the beveled pinions 48 on thesha-fts 47. Re-

ferring to Figure 1, it will be observed thatv one run of the belt 56 is bulged inwardly by the action of the belt tightener 61-60. lVhen the chute 33 is rocked in a direction transverse to its length, by the action of the members 9 and 14, the crank 60 of the shaft 58 will teeter up and down a little thereby permitting the belt 56 to have slack enough so that the aforesaid transverse rocking movement of the chute 33 may take place without stopping the rotation of the shaft 50 and the agitators 47. If at any time dur ing the operation of the device, the operator wishes to stop the rotation ofthe agitators 47, this can be done by swinging the roller 61 out of engagement with the belt 56, by wayv of the handle 62, the belt 56 then being so slack that it will not impart rotation to the shaft 53 by way of the'pulley 55.

If the vertical movement of the chute 33 is considerable, as the chute rocks from side to side, the cushions 27 will prevent the.

movement, rifiles in the chute, agitators journaled in the chute and cooperating With the rittles, means for imparting movement to the chute, means for operating the agitators, and screens in the chute and inclined from the bottom of the chute, the screens having free ends extending above the riffles and the agitators.

2. In a device of the class described,'a chute, pairs of members Whereon the chute rests, the pairs being spaced apart longitudinally on the chute, themembers of each pair being spaced apart transversely of the chute, each member comprisinga plurality of projections adapted to cooperate With the chute, the projections of the members of each pair being disposed out of registration transversely of the chute, the relative positions of the projections and the provision of a plurality of projections giving the chute a transverse rocking movement and a plurality of bumping movements each time that each member is rotated. and means for rotating said members in the relation specified with respect toeach other.

3. In a device of the class described, an elongated chute, means for mounting the chute for rocking movement in a direction transverse to its length, a riflie in the chute and disposed, transversely of the chute and approximately parallel to the direction in which the chute rocks, an agitator journaled in the chute and cooperating With the riftle, the agitator being disposed approximately parallel to the rilfie, mechanism connected to the agitator for rotating the agitator, mechanism for rocking the chute in a direction transverse to its length, and means for driving both of said mechanisms from a single point of force application located on y the said device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

JOSEPH BUREN EVANS. 

